A trans woman from Turkey has filed charges against her neighbours after 15 years of alleged abuse, including them filing restraining orders against her so she could not live in her own house.
Ajda Ender is a tailor and clothes designer who lives in the city of Istanbul, in the north-west of Turkey.
According to local media, Ajda says has been unable to enter her own house for the last seven months because her neighbours filed a restraining order against her.
The premises on which her neighbours filed the order against the trans woman were not mentioned, but Ajda says it is just one in a long line of discriminatory acts against her since 2005.
Ajda says she has been trying for years to take legal action against her neighbour’s, who have made her life a misery, but they have always been dismissed by the Turkish justice system.
However, the trans woman’s attorney Eren Keskin has finally been able to file a lawsuit against her harassers on several counts including ‘wrongful acts’, ‘threats’ and ‘gender-based discrimination.’
Keskin has also filed for damages for her client amounting to 20,000 TRY (2,333 GBP).
Keskin told local media: “Ender is subjected to discrimination, insults and even physical attacks by the defendants living in the apartment where the house owned by Ajda’s mother is located.”
Keskin confirmed that her client is unable to go to her house due to physical and verbal attacks and successive restraining orders against her, adding that the transphobic violence violates her basic human rights and causes her much distress.
Ajda told local media: “This trial is very important for me. Because my right to life was taken away from me and my reputation was impaired. I was disregarded while I was alive, all of my rights were usurped.”
Ajda went on to say that her business was affected so negatively by the abuse that she could no longer work and she was almost about to give up when she received news of the lawsuit being accepted.
She says that now she is finally receiving support from the council, who have given her a place in the Sisli Bazaar.
She said: ” I will sell my design clothes in bazaars. I am really very happy. I extend my thanks to the journalists who helped my voice to be heard.”
The transgender woman is now awaiting the trial, although no news to the exact date it will be has been announced.
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Story By: Lisa-Maria Goertz, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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